Valuing All Families

Abstract

Anti-gay marriage amendments proliferate, and current welfare legislation includes coercive marriage promotion programs. This article argues that government sponsorship and promotion of the traditional institution of heterosexual marriage-based family are antithetical to the liberal democratic values that most Americans would claim are foundational principles of their society: liberty and individuality. I suggest that, in order to make the social and legal institution of family consistent with professed public values, it should be transformed from the traditional structure into a new structure that is (1) flexible and customizable, and (2) eligible for direct public support for its role in social reproduction.